Manufacture of insulating staples and the like



Feb. 24, 1931. :g- ET AL 1,793,960

MANUFACTURE OF INSULA'I'LNG STAPLES AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 22. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 K I II 22 L M M 710% I 1931- E. A. PROBERT ET AL 3, 6

MANUFACTURE OF INSULA'MNG STAPLES AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 22, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 24, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MANUFACTURE OF INSULATING STAPLES AND THE LIKE Application filed September 22, 1928, Serial No. 307,710, and in Great Britain October 27, 1927.

The present'invention has relation to the manufacture of insulating staples, more particularly those wherein a strip. of folded i11- sul'ating fabric or material is incorporated g. at the yoke, whereby said staples are well adaptedfor securing electric conductors and the like. Hitherto such staples and their strips have been manufactured independently of one another, and afterwards combined.

19 i The present invention has for its object primarily to expedite the manufacture of the complete article by providing for the auto-. matic manufacture and assembly of the two parts in one and the same machine.

According to the present invention amachineis provided for the manufacture. of insulating staples or the like, comprising in combination means for cutting and forming the staple from a length of Wire, means for cutting a strip of insulatingfabric from a length or roll thereof and folding same back upon itself, and means for engaging staple and strip so that the latter becomes effective- 1y associated with, the yoke.

Further, according to the present invention, a. machine is provided for the manufacture of} insulating staples or the like, com.- prising in combination means for cutting and forming the staple from a length of wire,

means for cutting a strip of insulating fabric from a length or roll thereof, means for folding the extremities of said strip back upon itself and. forming the whole to a n formatiOn, and means for guiding or directing .35 the staple-into engagement with the strip so that the latter becomes effectively associated with the yoke.

Still further, according to. the present invention, a machine is provided for the nan ufacture of insulating staples, comprising in combination means for the manufacture of a staple from a length of wire, means for cutting and folding strips of insulating fabric from a length thereof simultaneously or sub stantially simultaneously with the manufacture of the staple, and means for finally engaging the staple with the folded fabric.

In order that this invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into practlce,

. 0 reference may be had to the appended explanatory sheets of drawings, upon which Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating particularly the manufacture of the staple and the method of engagin g same with the folded insulating strip certam parts being omitted for clarity.

Figures 2 and 3 are respectively perspective and sectional elevational views of the mechanism for cutting and piercing the strips of fabric.

Figure 4 is an inverted plan View of the cutting table and associated mechanism also shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a hookshaped tool hereinafter referred to, utilized for bending the strip across a former provided upon the stationary cutting table.

Figure 6 is a perspective view illustrating the side tools which are associated with the former on the cutting table. 7a

. Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective view from a rearward aspect that is to say, opposed to Figure 1, this View clearly showing the method of bending the strip around the former on the cutting table.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary rearward perspective view of the mechanism, clearly illustrating the engagement of the finished staple with the completely folded strip, to const tute the finished article illustrated in pcrg0 spective in Figure 9.

Fig. 10. shows the cutter mechanism for cutting the staples, the cutter being shown in section.

In a convenient cmbodimcntof the present invention, and referring to the drawings, 1 is a vertically slidable die member, which is slotted at 2, the said slot having side grooves 3 provided therein in an enlarged upper part i. 5 is a former capable of rcciprocation or lateral displacement as shown by the arrows in Figure 7 in relation to die 1. 6 is a push rod slidable in the die 1. 7 is a wire, and 8 is a well known wire cutting mechanism. 1

In the operation ofthe manufacture of the staple the wire 7 is fed through the cutting mechanism 8, and is cut obliquely (see particularly Figure 9), so that pointed extremities are presented. The said length of wire is fed beneath the die 1 and above the former 5. When the die 1 descends, the length of wire which has immediately been cut is bent over the former 5 to the desired staple formation, being accommodated in the grooves 3. In the operation of this machine, the former 5 is withdrawn, and the push rod 6 brought into operation to displace the staple 9 from the die 1-, which is now resting upon the top of the guide block 10 (see particularly Figure 8). The guide block 10 is provided with vertical grooves 11, and along these grooves the staple 9 is thrust, as in the Figure 8, to engage the finished strip, the manufacture of which haspro'c'eeded during the manufacture of the staple 9and will now be'described.

12 is a stationary table having a springcontrolled slidable ejector rod 13. This table is also provided with four or other suita'ble number of perforations 1.4;. Mounted upon or adjacent the table is a slide carrier 15, adapted to carry the slide 16 having a projection 17 adapted to be coupled by means of a recess 18 to an oscillatory rod 19 for the vertical reciprocation of the slide. The stationary table 12 is slotted on its underside, as at 20, and is also provided with a protruding stationary former 21. The slide 16 (see more particularly Figure 3) is provided with punches 22 adapted to register with the perforations 14 in the stationary table, and also the cutting blade 23 adapted to co-operate with that edge of the table 12 adjacent the perforations 14. In Fig. 10 the cutting mechanism is shown. 8 is the cutting tool proper provided with an oblique cutting edge 8 whereby the wire 7 is cut obliquely. The cutting tool 8 descends simultaneously with the die member 1 so that upon the wire being cut, the short length of wire is bent over the former '5 into the shape of a U- shaped staple having sharply pointed ends.

In operation, the strip 24 of insulating fabric is fed in anydesired manner, for instance, by intermittently actuated, friction rollers over the table 12, and the cutter 23 severs an oblong strip, whereas the punches '22 pierce that part of the fabric adapted to form the next adjacent strip, so that the strip immediately severed has already been perforated. The severed strip 25 rests upon the stationary former 21 on the stationary table 12, and also upon the inner extremities of two reciprocatory side tools 26 so as to span those three elements. The hook-shaped tool 27 (illustrated particularly in Figure 5) is next brought into operation and its spaced claws 28 are passed through the slots and over the top of the strip (see particularly Figure 7 which shows arrows indicating the movement of tool 27). The tool 27 is then caused to descend, and simultaneously or substantially simultaneously with its descension the side tools 26 are closed, to bend the strip in the manner shown in the Figure 8. The side tools 26 have arcuate recesses 29 at their extremities, and vertical grooves 30 serving as guides for the staple points, and the perforations in the strip are so spaced as to become'opposite or coincident with the grooves 30 in the side tools 26 when the latter are closed. After the side tools have been closed, the hook-shaped tool 27 is Withdrawn into the slots 20 in the stationary table 12.

The manufacture of the strip to the shape I die 1 has closed down on to said guide block 10. The continued movement of the push rod 6 however causes the staple 9 to be-thrust home so that its prongs pass through the apertures in the folded strip (see particularly Figure 8) to constitute the finished staple shown in the Figure 9. After this operation the side tools 26 withdraw, and the ejector rod 13 is brought into play to throw the finished staple off the former 21, and allow same to gravitate into a suitable receptacle, the operation then being commenced again for the manufacture of afresh staple from the same length of wire, and a new strip from the length of insulating fabric, and the combination of these two members.

What we .claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A machine for the manufacture of insulating staples or the like comprising in combination means for cutting and forming the staple from a'length of wire, means for cutting a strip of insulating fabric from a length or roll thereof, and means for folding the strip of insulating fabric back upon itself, and means for engaging staple and strip so that the latter becomes effectively associated with the yoke of the staple.

2. A machine for the manufactureof insulating staples or the like, comprising in combination means for cutting'and forming the staple from a length of wire, means for cutting a strip of insulating fabric from a length or roll thereof,means for folding the extremities of said strip back upon itself and forming the whole to a n formation, and means for guiding or directing the staple into engagement with the strip so that the later'becomes effectively associated with the yoke of the staple.

3. A machine for the manufacture of in sulating staples, comprising in combination means for the manufacture of a staple from a length of wire, means for cutting and means for folding strips of insulating fabric back upon themselves from a length thereof iso simultaneously or substantially simultaneously with the manufacture of the staple, and means for finally engaging the staple with the fabric.

4. A machine according to claim 1, in which the engaging means comprises, a push rod associated with a vertical guideway, and in which the insulating, cutting and folding means comprises a stationary table having shearing or cutting mechanism, a stationary former, two reciprocatory side tools and a hook-shaped centre tool, all of the said tools being disposed adjacent the lower part of the said guideway, and adapted to cut and fold an insulating strip substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein a perforating mechanism is associated with the cutting means for the fabric, and wherein the folding means comprises side tools which are grooved to serve as guides for the staple.

6. Means as claimed in claiml, for outting and folding a strip of fabric and engaging the yoke of a U shaped staple therewith, comprising a shearing or cutting device, a stationary former, two reciprocatory side tools, a hook shaped centre tool, a guide block and a push rod for the staple all adapted to operate substantially as described. In Witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

EDWARD ALBERT PROBERT. FRANK PROBERT. 

